This invention relates to a tee ball stand. More specifically, this invention relates to a tee ball stand which is fully collapsible for lineal storage and which is tip resistant when inadvertently struck instead of the ball itself.
Tee ball stands are characteristically used in the process of teaching young children to hit a ball with a bat. The typical tee ball stand comprises a flat, ground engaging plate, most often in the shape of a baseball home plate, which supports an adjustable vertical pole having a ball support cup on the upper end. A ball is placed on the support cup so a youngster can then strike at the stationary ball by swinging a bat instead of the more difficult task of attempting to hit a moving ball. With limited experience or limited coordination, the youngster may occasionally strike the cup or pole holding the ball, rather than the ball itself. This can be expected as part of the learning process. As a result, however, the tee ball stand is frequently tipped over or moved and has to be repositioned for the training session to continue. This can be a source of frustration and discouragement, as well as a safety concern, for the youngster and coach in the event of inadvertent contact with errant bat swings.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,691, 4,709,924, 4,819,937, 4,962,924, 5,004,234, 5,916,045, 6,099,418 and 6,884,185, as well as others, are characteristic of various tee ball practice devices having a base plate that rests flat on the ground to support some type of ball holding apparatus.
Even though some of the prior art references disclose a telescopingly adjustable vertical pole, one can easily appreciate the problem of storing a tee ball stand with a large base plate when the equipment is not in use.
Therefore, a need remains in the field of youth sports for a tee ball stand that can be easily and quickly assembled from a condition of compact lineal storage and that will be tip resistant when inadvertently struck with a bat. The primary objective of this invention is to meet these needs.